


Mirror

by Bear_Maiden



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Eventual Smut, F/M, Past Child Abuse, References to Drugs, Slow Burn, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:40:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25942990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bear_Maiden/pseuds/Bear_Maiden
Summary: Somehow the dead run the world.Alex finds a little girl lost in the woods and returns her to her group. Upon arriving she finds the man she had been searching for since the beginning and she finds a man who may just give her the love she deserves and vise versa.If they'll both let eachother that is.Starts mid season 2
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> So i know i still have Bare Feet to write, but honestly I've hit a block with it. I'm not giving up on it just having a break.
> 
> Inspiration hit me with a new story though and is gonna be a slower build than my other one.
> 
> This chapter is bascially a background on my character and how she met and became close to Rick. He was basically a dad she never had.
> 
> I hope you guys like my new character and enjoy this new story that i am so eager to write! 
> 
> All rights of the characters to the writers of the walking dead, apart from my oc ofc

Alex never pictured her life going in a positive way ever since she was young. From being a child her mother, who had already been abandoned by her father before Alex was born, failed to show her the care and love she needed so desperately needed, choosing to spend her time finding men that would use and abuse her whilst Alex had to cower in the corner and watch as her mother was beaten and bruised.

She was alone, from wearing dirty clothes to school which meant no one would play with her, to forgetting to be picked up and left at the gate where a panicked member of staff would place a pity hand on her shoulder and call the police. She would be returned to her mother who would blame it on her "busy schedule" as she answered the door drunk.

The last straw was drawn when she was left at a fairground. It was the best day she had ever had. Her mother had given her some money to go and have fun whilst she went off presumably to meet a new man. She had played so many games, and being an eleven year old who spent too much time in her own company, she had become a dab hand at the coin machines in the arcade which she knew how to manipulate to acquire more which in turn lead to lots of ice cream and the lightsaber in the arcade which she had her eye on from the moment she came in, of course the green one just like Luke's. 

The sun was starting to set and she thought it was time to start searching for her mother. Swinging the green saber round and she scoured the whole pier and surrounding areas for her, a small sense of panic started to set in as she realised she may have actually been left. She ended up walking back to the arcade where she seeked solitude on the coin machine. It was an hour later when a concerned worker came to check on her and all she did when he asked who she was with was cried and clung to her saber.

After being fed some burger and chips by the nice man who owned the arcade the police arrived and two young men came in sheriff's uniforms, she hadn't seen these two before when she had previously been picked up. One had a bent nose with dark hair and the other a warm smile and face, when he bent down to her height he brushed the hair from her face and said softly "Hey sweetie, I'm Rick. What's yer name?" She was hesitant when she replied but softly spoke her name back and he smiled again. "If I'm not mistaken Alex, i think Jedi's are supposed to have a little braid in there hair are they not?" He asked spinning a piece of her dirty blonde hair, trying to pry words out from her, as he referred to her lightsaber.

She looks to the other officer speaking to the arcade man and back to Rick who is waiting patiently for a reply as she leans in closer to him "It's only for padawans". 

Rick holds his hands up playfully as an apology for getting the answer wrong "Well that is me told" Alex smirks slightly at this "Now darlin', I'd love to hear all about jedi's. Would you mind coming in the car with me and my friend?" He gestures to the other man who starts to walk over.

Her heart starts to race "Are you taking me back there? Please don't" she reaches a hand out to grasp his arm to which he puts a hand over hers. 

"Hey" He searches her eyes with concern "Were gonna take you back to our special jedi hideout and then we'll see about what happens, okay?" She nods for some reason really trusting this man in front of her, taking his hand as he leads her out of the arcade and to their patrol car. 

The journey consisted of the two men talking about how no one could contact her mother and that this was getting out of hand. Every so often Rick would turn to talk to her about random stuff and send her a reassuring smile.

She sat at Rick's desk chair at the station with his sheriff's hat on as they continuously rang her mother with it dead toning everytime. Truth be told, she didn't want her to pick up, she wanted to stay here as long as she could. 

The two men whispered to each other and Rick walked over to Alex and got down to eye level as he told her the news that she would be going, not to her mother, but to a home until she could be rehomed to a new family and that her mother would not be coming for her. Rick's eyes watered as he saw the little girl crumble in front of him.

\---

Families never had her for long, Alex's behaviour had took a turn for the worst and she acted out at every opportunity. She would watch as she saw other kids be taken and anyone who showed a little bit of interest in her she would near enough bite their hand off. 

As she got older Alex cut off more of the world and Miranda, her "den mother" as she called her in the home was the only one she would interact with, she was the only woman that saw the beautiful girl that Alex was. 

Alex excelled in her lessons, only because she absorbed every ounce of information and kept herself to herself.

From fifteen Alex had got involved with the wrong kids in the home where they drank, snook out past curfew and skipped school. She quickly learnt that doing these things meant Sheriff Rick would come looking for her and she'd end up in the station again. He was the only person she truly trusted and she made her visits regular, whether it was on her own or through the law. 

Throught the next two years Alex went off the rails, she dabbled in drugs and her grades were terrible, she was on the verge of getting kicked out of school. She got involved with boys who were the worst kind and got her heart broke a few times until she learned her lesson of to not trust men. Ever.

At seventeen, Alex had been involved in a drug exchange gone wrong with some of the home kids and a dealer. The dealers guys had brought out knives and she suffered a nasty gash down her face. When she woke up, Rick was sat at the end of her hospital bed.

"Is it bad?" She groaned and smiled slightly but stopped as she looked at the his furious face "Save me the lecture please" Rick shook his head at the girl in front of him "Please don't do that"

Rick huffs "Do what? Care? Because someone needs to Alex!" His voice raises and she tenses in her bed. "You could've died" the reality of what happened hits her like a train and she whimpers and his voice softens "This stops now, no more stunts like this. You stop hanging around with those kids"

"They're all i have" It was true, they were all she had, sure as hell had no one else and when she turned eighteen she'd be on her own again.

"You have me. And Lori" Alex scoffs at this, Lori never liked her, she had taken one look at Alex at the station after she was coming down after a bad high and did nothing but look down at her as Rick had missed dinner that night to stay with her until he could return her home. "And you're gonna have to deal with me forever now, thats if you want to"

Alex looked at him with a confused frown.

Rick takes her hand "I'm not having you throw your life away, youre smart and don't deserve the shit hand you've been dealt and I'm not letting you go down the road I've seen other kids go" Rick looks at the now grown up girl in front of him "You're eighteen soon and i know you're free to do whatever, but i want you to know there's a room with your name on it at my house" 

Alex throws herself forward with the little energy she has and buries her head in Rick's neck where her tears start to fall, the salt stings around her new injury but she doesn't care.

She pulls back and wipes her eyes "But until then i dont want any of this, no more going out, you go to school, go home and that's it, okay?" She nods quickly and he smiles softly and runs his finger by the side of her stitches which runs from above her eye and down on her cheek "You look like anakin now" She smiles as she remembers his scar in the third film which Rick had asked permission from the home to take her to see for her twelfth birthday.

"Next step is Darth Vader, you sure you can handle that?" 

"As long as you don't snore like him"

They both laugh as they share another embrace. 

\---

After she saw her new addition to her face, to which she initially screamed at and she remembered Rick's offer, Alex buckled down and studied at school and kept her promise to Rick and kept out of trouble.

The day she moved in she could hear Lori and Rick talking as she moved into her room, it didn't sound positive, she knew Lori didn't approve of her moving in. She saw a little figure at her door and smiled when she saw it was Carl. Rick always spoke about him and showed her pictures. 

"Hey little dude"

Carl's eyes squinted at the girl in front of him "Are you my sister now?"

The question baffled Alex and she didn't know how to answer. "Erm, i guess that's up to you. I mean technically no, but you can call me that if you want" She never had siblings.

Carl makes a noise and walks into room and looks into one of her boxes and his eyes widen "Woah cool" his eyes light up at the lightsaber in front of him. Alex smiles as shes taken back to the day of the fair. 

"Why don't you keep it?" She offers it to Carl as a olive branch.

"Oh my god! Are you serious?!" He exclaims which makes her smile more, she nods and he runs into her wrapping his arms around her middle "You can totally be my sister" She smiles as she wraps her arms around his back slowly.

She would be okay.


	2. Lost And Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of people reunited here!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> (All credit to the gif makers)

_Alex was working on her portfolio for her start at college at her desk surrounded by paper when she got the call. It was Lori from the hospital._  
  
_"It's Rick. He's been shot"_  
__  
  
_After pulling on trainers she just ran. Ran as fast as she could to the hospital. When she walked in Carl was holding his hand crying as he lay there unresponsive in a comatose state. The man that was a father to her, the man who believed in her when no one else did._  
  
_After he was shot she spent everyday be his side, reading to him, telling him how excited she was about college. He was so proud when she'd told him she'd got in and that she was studying film. Film had gotten her through her tough childhood and it was what her and Rick had bonded over. They had gone out for dinner that night and she got to play the daughter role she'd always wanted, even being rewarded with an ice cream dessert like she was nine, which she endulged in._  
  
_One day Shane came on cue to bring some flowers for Rick that were from the station, it became a regular thing. Alex was curled up on the chair reading 'The Great Gatsby' to Rick when he knocked._  
  
_"Sorry kid. Just dropping these" He refers the the bunch in his hand as she smiles and nods putting her hand out to grab them and swap them with the dying ones in the vase. "Suppose Rick's a little like this book at the moment" Alex looks over from the sink as she fills the vase with some new water "Having a hell of a dream"_  
  
_"It wasn't a dream, it was just a lie" Alex corrects and smiles as she places the new flowers, freshly watered on the table next to Rick "Even so, i hope his dreams are full of champagne and flapper girls" She leans to stroke a finger down Rick's face._  
  
_Shane chuckles "I doubt it, maybe mine" He huffs "Nah, the only thing on his mind will be you three"_  
  
_Suddenly feeling overwhelmed Alex looks down crossing her arms and breathes deeply. Shane hears sniffles and walks over to her bringing her into him where she breaks down and he sees the young girl in the arcade again "He's gon' be jus' fine"._  
  
_He has to be._  
  
\---  
  
The woods were quiet as Alex stalked through, hearing the crunching of the leaves beneath her feet. She listens closely as she hears the sounds of a nearby river following the noise of the rushing water and decides fish could be nice to eat as her stomach rumbles at the thought. She pulls the straps on her backpack so it goes higher on her back so it wont touch the water.  
  
Not caring if her clothes get wet, she grabs her handmade spear from her back and climbs into the water making sure to remain quiet. She walks through the water relishing in the coolness on her skin as the day was hot. She eyes some movement in the water further up and walks slowly towards it with her stick aimed down.  
  
As she goes to strike a girlish scream distracts her and makes the fish dash away. 'Fuck' she curses under her breath and jumps out to follow the scream quickening her steps. When she reaches the source, she sees a girl backing up towards a tree, one of those dead assholes approaching her. Alex doesn't hesitate as she thrusts the stick into the back of its head. It falls revealing her to the little girl who stands there shaking.  
  
She yanks her spear from its head as it makes a crunching sound which cringes the little girl. Alex looks in the girls eyes and sees fear and loneliness, a look she was all too familiar with. "Hey, what are you doing out here all alone?" Alex asks the little girl softly.  
  
She sniffles before she talks "I lost my mom and the others"  
  
Alex looks deeper into the girls eyes "Whats your name?"  
  
"Sophia"  
  
The girl shakes as her eyes look around frantically "Well Sophia, I'm Alex , what do you say we find them?" Alex had felt this before, she'd be damned if she let this little girl go on by herself and feel any sort of pain she had.  
  
Sophia nods and Alex looks to the sky to see it getting darker. "You got any idea where they're gonna be?"  
  
"There um, was a highway. Rick told me to wait but i couldn't and i--"  
  
Alex didn't mean to but she interrupted at the name "Rick?"  
  
"Yeah he's the one that ran after me, he's a Sheriff he leads us, he has a son named Carl" Sophia kept unloading information to Alex but it just sounded like background noise. It was him, of course he was fine. She knew it, she knew he wasn't dead.  
  
Alex puts her spear back in her holder and bends down to Sophia's level grabbing her shoulders "This highway?" There was only that Alex knew about and she was sure it was that one.  
  
"Rick said something about keeping the sun on my left shoulder?" Alex smiles softly at his instruction, he was always the helpful samaritan and now he was alive.  
  
"Good, that's good honey" She says channeling Rick, she looks back to the sky to see it getting darker again "Come on, we'll camp out, i have food. Then we'll get to the highway in the morning. Okay?" Sophia nods again and Alex takes her shaking hand and leads her back to her makeshift camp.  
  
\---  
They reach the highway the next morning and Sophia instantly spots some of the surrounding cars she remembered and sure enough there's a sign saying they had moved onto a farm and to wait there, they would check back everyday. They even left some supplies for the girl. Sophia practically gleamed at the note so happy to be reunited with her mother.  
  
They sat eating some tinned fruit as Sophia kept stealing glances at Alex's face, but when she looked at her she would look away. Alex smiled knowing she was looking at her scar.  
  
"I was a bad kid, bad choices"  
  
Sophia turned to her intrigued "Is that how you met Sheriff Rick?"  
  
Alex heart warmed again as she realised she would see him soon "Kind of. I met him kinda how i met you, i was lost. Well, not lost more like left" Sophia's eyes saddened and Alex quickly cleared her throat "But no, he helped me a lot. He was kinda like my dad"  
  
"You know Carl then?" Sophia asks as she blushes slightly.  
  
"You crushing on my brother?" Alex elbows her playfully and Sophia shakes her head looking down, she finds it adorable "Hey, i wont tell. Who else is there at this farm then?"  
  
"My mom" Sophia smiles massively "Lori, Carl, Shane.." She lists a few other names "Daryl, who kinda scares me but, he's sort of cool i guess" Alex chuckles "And then there's.." They both turn their head to see a car coming down the road, an Asian man exits the car and Sophia bounds towards him as shouts "Glenn!" And throws her arms around him finishing her list of people.  
  
He embraces her closely and looks to Alex "Thankyou so much, you have no idea what this means" and she holds her hands up as if it's no big deal."You have a group?" He asks and she shakes her head "Come on"  
  
She picks up her bag and the supplies they left and walks towards him and she opens the passenger door "I plan on it" She flashes hin a smile and climbs in.  
  
\---  
  
She could feel Sophia's smile the whole way there and nothing compared to the feeling of her running into her mother's arms as she sobbed and grabbed onto her tightly. The mother then turned her attention to Alex as she gave her the same treatment "Thankyou. Thankyou, you saved her. Thankyou" When she recovered she spoke more clearly "I'm Carol" Carol was lost for words as she tried to speak but Alex just nodded and introduced herself.  
  
The few that were at the front of the farmhouse introduced themselves, and she saw Lori who even gave her a hug despite how they had left things when they last saw eachother and ran inside to get Rick and Carl. The front door opened and she heard that familiar voice "Oh my god" She turned hearing Carl yelling her name and before she even knew what was happening Rick had her in a tight embrace and Carl had wrapped himself around her leg.  
  
"I- i went back for--" Alex struggled as the words just wouldn't come out but Rick nodded.

"I know sweetie, i know" He wiped her tears away and embraced again as she heard Carl sob as she used a hand to stroke his hair.  


Over Rick's shoulder she saw a man with a crossbow over his shoulder scowling as he looked at the scene in front of him. She closed her eyes and relished in the moment of being reunited with her true family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Florence Pugh is totally how i see Alex, she's such an insanely good actor and she's gorgeous so check out her stuff!
> 
> Let me know if you like the flashbacks too guys!


	3. First Night

Alex thought she'd never have a shower again and here she was washing all the dirt and grease from her hair and skin never remembering feeling this relaxed ever. She watched as the mud and definitely some old blood washed down the drain. She thought about all that she missed, Rick waking up on his own, and Carl getting shot.

Beth had been nice enough to lend her some clothes to which she picked some blue jeans and a flannel shirt. She wasn't as skinny as Beth so the jeans seemed to fit more snuggly on her.

She looks around Beth's very, very pink room and smiles at all the pictures of her and her family. She hears the door knock behind her and sees Beth poking her head round.

"Hey, just wanted to let you know dinners gonna be ready soon" She says sweetly and Alex nods "They suit you much more than me"

Alex looks down at the clothes and shakes her head "I highly doubt it, you're gorgeous"

Beth blushes at the compliment "It's nice to finally see someone closer to my age" Beth must have been almost sixteen or seventeen, Alex was nearly nineteen "I was getting sick of talking to oldies"

Alex laughs "God, don't let Rick hear you say that, he's very precious about his greying hair"

After sharing a small chuckle Beth leads her downstairs to eat.

\---

The warmth from the fire felt nice on Alex's face as she rested her head against Rick's shoulder and Carl snuggled to her side as he hadn't moved away from her the whole day. Everyone was gathered around the campfire and Alex couldn't help but let her eyes drift behind her looking at the man who sat away from camp on his own playing with his crossbow. He hadn't came and introduced himself so she had quickly deduced that this meant he was Daryl as she remembered Sophia's list.

"Alex?" She turned her head back to the group as she heard her name called.

"Huh?" She mumbled

"I asked how you've survived this long?" The man called T-dog asked who was sat opposite her.

How does she even begin this answer? "Er, i went back for Rick, i just knew in my gut he wasn't dead" She felt his arm tighten around her and Carl stiff next to her, earning a strange gaze from Shane. She'd had a hard conversation earlier on with Carl about why she had left him, Lori and Shane the car that day, she just couldn't leave Rick. "But, then the helicopters came and the bombs. I was just outside of the city, and ran back through the woods. I managed to makeshift a spear and made a camp, I've been on my own since. I hadn't seen anyone until Sophia" Sophia smiled to her from her place in the circle and Carol held her close. "Just survived by wanting to find my family. It worked" She smiles to Rick who returns one.

The conversation changes to different subjects for the next hour and Alex steals a few glances behind her every so often, the last time being caught as Daryl's eyes flick up and meet hers to which she quickly turns away from.

Everyone starts to slowly disperse as they say goodnight to eachother. Lori comes to walk Carl away to bed and Alex sends him away with a kiss to his head and Sophia runs to give her a hug goodnight. Rick stays by the fire and the two sit in silence for a couple of minutes.

Rick sighs "Never thought I'd see you again"  
Alex turns her head to the side to look at his softened face "When Lori said you'd ran out the car to come find me, i cursed you so bad" They both chuckle "Then i remembered how strong you are, you always have been" Alexs heart warmed at his words "and also a massive pain in my ass" 

Alex smirks "I'm so glad i found you, i dont know what I would've done" Her mind going to horrible thoughts of life on her own without finding him and Carl.

"You would've survived, that's what you do, it's what you've always done and look at you now, saving a little girl, bringing her back to her family" 

Alex thinks back over her life and all the events that lead her here. Becoming slightly overwhelmed she rubs her palms on her jeans and stands up. "I guess i should get some sleep" She takes a glance to her left seeing Daryl still by his tiny fire which was now fading. "Hey, has he eaten?" She nods over his way concerned that she didn't see him at dinner and Rick makes a grunt as he stands.

"Not sure" Rick replies and she places some hair behind her ear and grabs a bowl and goes to the small pot of leftovers that the gang took outside. "Just be careful, he's a little short tempered. Bit uneasy"

She nods and he smiles and leans over to place a kiss on her forehead "Glad to have you back my jedi, g'night"

With a shaky breath so strides over to Daryl's direction, bowl in hand.

\---  
Daryl preferred being on his own with his thoughts whilst the rest pretended like they didn't get on each other's nerves. 

Sophia had been found by this new chick and suddenly everyone forgot that Daryl had been out searching for her everyday. Suddenly she was the hero.

Not that he wanted to be the hero, he never needed that. He just wanted to do the right thing and find that little girl and then this girl who was of course somehow related to Rick comes with her big hazel eyes, full lips and--

_Woah, slow down partner don't wanna go down that road._

Daryl refocuses on the fire in front of him, he hears the conversations across the way, not bothereing to focus in on anything. He does catch the new girl looking at him at some point but he tells himself she was probably just scoping her new surroundings or wondering what a weirdo he was sat away from everybody.

After a while he sees everyone move to go to sleep. He doesn't sleep much anymore so he decides to stay outside a bit longer. 

He catches a glimpse of movement from in front of him and he looks up to see the fresh new face of the girl who had brought Sophia back. 

"Hey, um, i brought you some food" She hands the bowl forward unsure "I wasn't sure if you'd eaten" she shrugs.

He grunts, he knows she's trying to be helpful but he isn't in the mood. His stomach was rumbling, he had eaten some berries but it didnt cut it. 

She places the bowl near his feet "I'm Alex by the way"

_'Alex.. suits her'_

The silence continues and he can feel her stare as he plays with his bolts "Ya want sumthin'?" He asks a little more harshly than he anticipated and she jumps a little.

"No i just--"

"What?" He throws he bolt down looking at her "Ya want me to get on ma knees and praise ya like everyone else? Tell ya how amazin' ya are? Ya found that girl by damn luck"

"I don't understand? Are you mad?"

Daryl scoffs "I'm mad that i get threw off a horse, fall on ma own damn arrow, find that little girl's doll" He throws the forgotten doll towards her and she picks it up "and drag ma ass back here to get shot in the head, only for some hussy ta come bring her back without so much as breakin' a sweat"

He looks to his feet and and twiddles his thumbs, he sees her stand up. "Your're welcome" She turns and walks away and he's pretty sure he hears her call him an asshole. 

She was right.

He is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to gif makers
> 
> Hope you guys like their first interaction!
> 
> We shall see what the day brings!


	4. Hunting

Alex awoke to the sound of snoring, looking next to her seeing Carl and smiling at how peaceful he looked. He insisted on bunking with her after Glenn mentioned he had a spare tent.  
  
She pops her boots on from the front of the tent making sure to not wake Carl and carefully unzipped the tent stepping into the early morning.  
  
She sees Carol and Sophia folding clothes together and she quickly pops back inside the tent to grab something and makes her way over to them.  
  
"Good morning Alex!" Sophia chimes, Alex smiles seeing her so much fresher after how she looked with her.  
  
"I believe this is yours" She pulls her arm from behind her back handing Sophias doll to her which she happily grabs.  
  
"Oh my god! Alex thankyou!" She hugs the doll close to her chest.  
  
"Oh don't thank me. It was Daryl that found her"  
  
She didn't know what she made of the rough guy she met last night. She had felt bad that he had gone through so much trouble to find the girl and she had just stumbled upon her. However, the way he spoke to her was just down right rude. _Even if his voice was gruff and so, darn sexy.._  
  
 _Wait, no_.  
  
Sophia turned to her mother smiling "I'm gonna go and thank Daryl mom!" She ran off in search of the redneck, hopefully she'd get a better reception.  
  
Alex smiles as she watched Sophia bound away, Carol shouting to keep close by "So, do you need any help?" She asks Carol.  
  
"You sure can, but to be honest i should be be doing everything for you. You brought me my girl back, i can never repay you"  
  
Alex felt great at reuniting the pair but now however she was starting to feel guilty about all of Daryl's hard work.  
  
"Daryl helped look for her right?"  
  
Carol nods "That man" Alex felt a horrible vibe coming but was soon corrected when Carol continued "Has done more for my little girl than her daddy ever did. He never gave up on her, I'm so grateful. Everytime i try to tell him how great he's been he just shoots me down"  
  
Alex feels a pang in her chest feeling almost sorry for being the one to find Sophia after all his hard work.  
  
But, no, she shouldn't feel bad, she was helping. There was no point in wasting anymore time thinking about it.  
  
\---  
Daryl was just finishing breakfast when he heard what sounded like little feet running to his side. When he looked he saw Sophia running over with her doll in her hands.  
  
"Hi Daryl, i just wanted to say thankyou for finding my doll" She had bright smile on her face and all Daryl did was nod. "Mama said you helped look for me too" Not that his help did anything, he replied again with another nod. What he wasnt prepared for was for her to throw herself around his middle in with her arms in a hug. He felt awkward as he placed a hand on her back.  
  
She pulled back to look at his face "You know, i think you and Alex will get along, she's so cool" Sophia said with such admiration for the girl.  
  
Daryl wasn't so sure after the way he had acted before, he needed to apologise "Yeah, we'll see"  
  
Sophia beamed him a smile and ran back over to where Carol and Alex were folding clothes and Daryl watched as Alex smiled softly tucking her behind her ear wondering how soft it--  
  
 _NO, stop_.  
  
Daryl huffed and grabbed his crossbow going to speak to Rick who was by the truck.  
  
"Hey man, I'm gon' go hunt, see if i find anythin', hopefully somethin' big" Daryl was at home when he hunted, it was like the world hadn't gone to shit and it was still him and Merle.  
  
"Yeah no worries" Daryl nodded, ready to walk away when he heard a girlish voice which halted him.  
  
"What's going on?" Rick looked to his side and rubbed his hand on Alex's arm.  
  
"Nothin' Daryl's just headin' out hunting"  
  
She locked her eyes onto his and he shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes glistened with interest as she said "Hunting. Mind if i come? You can show me the layout"  
  
He should've said no, but the way she was looking at him sucking in her lower lip and pushing it back out again made him tremble.  
  
"You mind?" Rick's voice broke him out of his trance and he shrugs and grunts not really answering a yes or a no.  
  
"Great, I'll go get my bag" Alex stalks off leaving the two men.  
  
"Keep her safe okay. She's like my daughter" Daryl bites his lip nodding "I don't want to have to kill you just yet"  
  
Daryl scoffs a chuckle "Ready?" Alex asks and smiles at him backpack on and spear on back looking like a warrior princess,he just turns to start walking to woods assuming she'll follow.  
  
\---  
Alex watches Daryl in front of her, his crossbow pointed up scanning the area. She has her hand on her knife in case of anything.  
  
She had jumped at the chance to come out of camp for a little bit, feeling overwhelmed with the amount of people having not seen any for a while.  
  
Daryl squats looking at the leaves which sparks her interest "What do you see?" She asks.  
  
"Tracks. Looks like a deer, it's close by"  
  
Alex turns around seeing a stream "Well there's some water over there, maybe it will come for a drink" _God damn she jus' had to have a brain in that pretty head o' hers aswell._  
  
She takes the lead walking over to the stream squatting down to feel the cool water through her fingers. She reaches into her bag pulling out a couple of empty bottles to fill putting them in the stream and Daryl sits down next to her.  
  
She feels Daryl's eyes watching her, she flicks hers to his "What?" She questions, knowing he's looking right where her scar is.  
  
He just shakes his head "Nothin' " There's a moment of silence.  
  
"So Daryl, what's your story?" She couldn't deny that this man intrigued her more than anyone has ever before. He had a rough exterior which she had to admit was extremly nice to look at, but his eyes held such softness and pain aswell.  
  
"Ain't got one, not exactly an interesting person"  
  
"Oh i highly doubt that" She smirks his way and his eyes shift down.  
  
"So, you Rick's niece or somethin'?"  
  
Alex swallows, she really didn't want to answer the question "Uh, no" She pulled the first water bottle out capping it "My mom--" Just as she was about to unload there was rustling from the other side of the stream and Alex put her hand on Daryl's arm at the sight of the deer.  
  
Daryl slowly raised his crossbow aiming at the deer when a little one came by to join snuggling next to what looked like its mother. Alex breath became heavy as nemories of her younger self came into play and before even thinking Alex knocked Daryl's crossbow to the side just as the bolt came out, it just missed the deers and they bolted off.  
  
"Are ya crazy?!" Daryl stood up understandably furious "The hell was that?! Just lost us two good pieces of meat"  
  
"I-i-i" Alex began to stutter and she could hear Daryl's voice fading away as her chest became tight and the blood pounded in her ears.  
  
She stood up and ran away further into the woods needing to breathe.  
  
\---  
  
  
Daryl found Alex stood shaking trying to calm her herself, he had no idea what to do so just stood back watching her.  
  
She turned around, she'd been crying and Daryl's chest momentarily tightened.  
  
"Look I'm sorry okay i just--"  
  
Daryl wasn't in the mood for excuses "We got kids to feed, ya know that" She just nods holding her arms round herself. "Lori being pregnant aswell"  
  
By the look on her face, Daryl knew she didn't know. "Wait, what?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Does Rick know?" Daryl nods in return "Great, just great" She runs a hand through the front of her hair.  
  
"Might not even be his" She looks up to his eyes and regrets it, knowing this will upset her even more "She was running off with Shane, saw 'em in the woods once, they weren't berry picking ill tell ya that"  
  
Daryl didn't know how to handle things like this but he was pretty sure he was handling it terribly. He reached forward putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Hey, come on. Let's find somethin' else and get back"  
  
\---  
Luckily her and Daryl had across some squirrels on the way back so they hadn't come back empty handed and he hadn't mentioned the deer situation which she appreciated.  
  
Alex didn't speak to anyone the rest of the day choosing to hide out in the tent, she couldn't believe Rick hadn't told her and she couldn't believe Lori had been running off with Shane. It made her feel sick, did Rick know that?  
  
It was night and she was now walking over to the RV where Dale stood on top and made her way up.  
  
"Hi Alex, what a nice suprise" He smiles to her and she offers one back.  
  
"Hi Dale, you can go,I'll keep watch"  
  
Dale looks at her eyes "Are you okay Alex?" She just nods and he moves to the side picking something up "You look like the type of person who likes a good book" He puts his hand forward and sees him handing her 'The Great Gatsby'. She runs her hand over the front and bites her lip.  
  
"It's one of my favourites"  
  
Dale smiles "I knew i was gonna like you" He pats her on the shoulder and makes his way down the ladder, she sits down on the edge of the RV, her legs dangling and opens the book.  
  
After a few pages she hears someone come up the ladder. Her eyes raise up to see from the page to see Daryl and she closes the book. None of them say anything as he sits down next to her.  
  
Alex finally speaks "I'm sorry for today. The deer and freaking out"  
  
"Naw, m'sorry. Been an asshole to you, didn't deserve it" Alex raises his eyebrows to him "Okay maybe a little bit for the deers" Alex chuckled which made his mouth curl up and her heart leapt.  
  
"I am sorry though" She sighs "You asked what i was to Rick. Truth is, my mom left me, a lot. One day she never came back, Rick was new in the department, came and took me, told me she wasn't coming back" Daryl listened intently "Next thing i was in a foster home with all these other kids whose parents weren't coming back, Rick was always there. No matter what"  
  
"Your mom give you that?" He refers to her face meaning her scar and she shakes her head.  
  
"No, that was all me. Bad decisions"  
  
Daryl nodded "Yeah, i know all about them" Alex smiles and she admires his face in the moonlight, the way his hands fidget and his steady breathing. "To be honest, it looks pretty fuckin' badass"  
  
Alex laughs "Well I'm glad someone likes it"  
  
"You go to sleep. I'm good up here" Daryl says as he reaches into his pocket for a cigarette lighting it.  
  
Alex nods and stands up, she goes to reach the ladders and turns around "Hey Daryl" He looks up at her eyes and she bites her lip "Thankyou" She sends him a smile and decends the ladders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Credit to GIF creators)


End file.
